WHEN FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN Ben Bernanke finally makes it to Capitol Hill to deliver his semiannual report to Congress, his script may remain the same but he may need to improvise parts of his performance.

Bernanke released his written testimony on Feb. 10 while the nation's capital was shuttered because of back-to-back blizzards. Wednesday, he'll appear before the House Financial Services Committee and return Thursday to the...